An Elderly Athlete Remembers
Interview an elderly person who played sports in their youth. Create a narrative that captures their experiences, the era's sports culture, and how it has changed from then to now.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
Writing essays
A mind at work, one subject at a time.
An essay collection gathers short nonfiction pieces: personal, critical, funny or all three. What ties them together is the writer's voice and way of seeing.
What readers expect
- A distinctive voice
- Personal stakes
- Surprising connections
- Pieces that stand alone
A tip before you start
Follow a question, not a thesis. The pleasure of an essay is watching someone think.
More Sports prompts
- The Sports Moment That Changed MeWrite a reflective essay about a moment in sports that changed your life. Describe the event, your initial feelings, the impact it had on you, and how…
- Inside the Championship CrowdCreate a personal narrative describing your experience at a significant sporting event, such as the World Cup, the Olympics, or a national…
- Mental Health in SportsExplore the role of mental health in athletic performance. Incorporate personal experiences, quotes from professionals, and research to discuss…
- The Game I Still RememberWrite a detailed account of your most memorable sporting event as a spectator. Dive into the atmosphere, the emotion, and the impact this event had on…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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